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Thank you so much for the sweet comments and prayers for Jen and her family. She got to go home yesterday and rumor has it she came home to a completely decorated Christmas tree with presents under it. Makes me so happy to know she has such a great community around her on a daily basis.

Now since several of you asked, I talked to P and got him to help me with a gift guide for the men in your life. You will notice that some of the items are similar to the gift guide he wrote way back in 2009 which you can find here. Apparently some things, like knives and flashlights, are timeless.

Here are his suggestions. We tried to include a range of prices and items that will work for more than just an outdoorsman.

1. under armour flats guide II fishing shirt

This is P’s favorite fishing shirt, hands down. And he’s tried them all. He prefers the long-sleeve version in a shade of blue or light green so as not to scare the fish. However, there is a short-sleeve version if you think that might be better.

2. surefire flashlights

This is P’s favorite brand of flashlight. There are a ton to choose from but the important thing is that you get one that’s LED.

3. outdoor edge swing blade outdoor edge knife

I bet P owns 456 knives, many of which he’s had since childhood. He likes this knife but mentioned a couple of others depending on your price range and cutlery needs.

He also likes this knivesofAlaska trekker whitetail/GH combo that he received as a gift a few years ago. He said it will flat cut some stuff up.

And also recommended this columbia river knife and tool which is what he carries everyday. Because, you know, everyone needs an everyday knife.

4. leupold vx-3 scope

A good scope is pricey and so this falls on the high-end of the spectrum. I would never even attempt to buy P a scope for an occasion unless he wrote all the specifics down for me. But maybe you’re braver than me.

He says any of the Leupold VX series are good scopes.

5. camelbak hydration backpack

This would be a great gift for any sportsman in your life. They come in various sizes and styles depending on your hydration needs.

6. LED headlamp

Tuesday morning the power went out in our house about 6:00 a.m. I immediately woke up because our ceiling fan and my sound machine cut off and it was dead still. And then P came walking in our bedroom wearing his headlamp because he is like a Boy Scout, ALWAYS PREPARED.

This is one of his favorite headlamps and he has several even though he only has one head. You just want to make sure it’s an LED version and that you can make some references to Coalminer’s Daughter while he wears it.

7. warthog knife sharpener

Okay, I have to say this is the best knife sharpener ever. We’ve had ours for years and we use it to sharpen all our knives. P even brought it with him to Bops and Mimi’s house for Thanksgiving and Mimi had him sharpen all her knives while he was there. It works like a charm.

8. smartwool socks

We love our Smartwool socks around here. They aren’t cheap but they keep your feet warm and dry. Perfect for everyday use or hiking or hunting or whatever.

9. north face quarter zip fleece

I bought one of these for my dad last Christmas and he’s a fan. This is a great gift because it’s super soft, totally comfortable and not bulky. It’s perfect to wear indoors and out.

10. GoPro camera

P doesn’t have one of these. And I don’t know if he wants one. But Gulley’s husband has one and uses it all the time to record hunting trips, sporting events, fishing trips, etc. I always think it’s really cool.

11. bose soundlink mini-bluetooth speaker

We don’t have this either but people rave about it. We do have an old Bose radio that we’ve had for years and the sound is so good. This would be great for someone to keep in a home office or a work office or in the kitchen or wherever you want. I’m not the boss of you.

12. kodiak portable power bank

P doesn’t have a smart phone because he still prefers his flip phone. I know. I can’t talk about it. But no matter what, this portable power bank could come in handy whether you’re in a deer blind, hiking in the middle of nowhere or, worse, stuck in an airport with limited electrical outlets.

13. klean kanteen insulated beverage bottle

I nearly called this a water bottle, but P corrected me and it’s a BEVERAGE bottle. And I have to say that it is the best beverage bottle ever. It truly keeps hot things hot and cold things cold for a long time. I used to send Caroline to school with one last year and by the end of the day it still had ice cubes that hadn’t melted.

14. leica rangemaster

P says he loves a rangefinder. This is his favorite but there are several brands and kinds, including one called a pin master for golfers. That’s some hard core golfing.

15. bushnell trophy cam with night vision

I can’t believe I almost forgot to include this. P has several game cameras set up at the ranch and he loves them. You can check your cameras to see what animals are coming in to what location and figure out a hunting strategy.

Or maybe you could use it in your driveway to see if it’s a cat or possum that keeps climbing on your car every night.

So there you have it. Hopefully there might be a something here that will help you with your Christmas shopping. If all else fails, you can always get some pajama pants at Old Navy or a gift card to Cabela’s.

So I never really wrote about my shopping weekend with Gulley and you’ll understand why as you read this post.

I’ll start with the fact that I look forward to our shopping weekend all year long. It’s one of my favorite weekends of the whole year. Gulley took the day off work on Friday and we headed out at the crack of 9:30 on Friday morning. Our first stop was Shepler’s, which is admittedly an odd choice but I had a pair of cowboy boots that we’d bought for Caroline that needed to be returned and Gulley was looking for a pair of boots for Jackson since that’s one of his Christmas wishes. However, we quickly found ourselves overwhelmed in Shepler’s, mainly because Jackson wears a size twelve shoe these days and we were just buying him a Little People farm at Toys ‘R Us yesterday.

We left Shepler’s and headed for the more familiar terrain of Nordstrom where we found a couple of gifts for various people on our lists and also ate in the Nordstrom cafe’ because FRIES and AIOLI SAUCE. After that we made our way through the rest of La Cantera with mixed results. It is significantly harder to shop for pre-teens than it was for toddlers, but we did our best.

By the time Friday evening came we had the back of my car loaded down with bags and boxes and made a quick stop by my house to unload everything before we went to eat some Italian food. All that shopping left us with a need for some carbs and we more than fulfilled it, although we did order a side of Brussels sprouts which I believe count as a healthy choice even though they involved a lot of bacon.

Saturday morning we slept in because I believe I’ve mentioned that Gulley has two new puppies at her house and we are back to a stage in life where puppies are our version of having a newborn. This is an officially destination on the cycle of life. Get married, get a puppy, complain about sleepless nights and how it’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done, have a newborn and realize you were a big sap for telling people how hard it is to have a puppy, raise a child until they’re about ten, get a new puppy and complain about sleepless nights and declare that it’s just like having a newborn.

Eventually we made our way out of the house and hit a few more stores that were on our list. And we were beyond pleased with our progress, we were breaking all manner of Christmas shopping weekend records. We even made it to The Container Store to pick up wrapping paper while it was still light outside. This turned out to be fortunate because it allowed Gulley to fully appreciate a man parked next to us who was wearing a red t-shirt with a white Santa beard down the front while drinking a beer with a straw. He rolled down his window and said to Gulley, “I’m gonna tell you like I told that woman in there, you ever seen me and Santa in a room together?”

Well. No.

No we haven’t.

We pondered our thoughts on this man as we made our way to our neighborhood Target. It was, by the way, our third Target to visit throughout the weekend but served to confirm that our Target is the best of the area Targets. And it was while we were there that we both heard our phones ding with an incoming text and looked at our phones to discover our friend Jamie was texting us to let us know that she had been at the hospital all day with Jen and that the doctors had let them know that Jen’s cancer is back.

Which is how Gulley and I found ourselves crying in the gift wrap aisle at Target at 5:38 p.m. on Saturnday evening. I was waiting to write about it until I knew Jen had gotten the word out to all her people, but she posted a new post on her blog this evening and the word is out. She tells her story better than I ever could and, honestly, I keep telling her that she’s the one who needs to write a book. You can find her blog here if you’d like to read it and keep up with her.

Needless to say, it hasn’t been my favorite couple of days. I realize people get sick every day, I know that so many of you have people you love who are fighting cancer, but this hits close to home for me and has left me feeling a little broken right now. I know Jen would so appreciate your prayers as she walks this road again.

My friend Paige posted this on her blog yesterday and I’ve been listening to it ever since. Here’s what I know for sure, God is good always.

Joyful, joyful, we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
hearts unfold like flowers before thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

It has been a busy day around here.

Here’s what I accomplished.

-Made a grocery list
-Planned actual meals that I have every intention of cooking this week
-Went to the store and bought things on aforementioned list
-Bought Christmas lights at Lowes because I remembered we threw ours out last year
-Returned some things to Target
-Exchanged some things at Old Navy
-Found some red cyclamen at Home Depot to replace dead mums on my porch
-Planted the cyclamen and threw dead mums in shrubs with dead pumpkins
-Did 184 loads of laundry
-Answered 431 emails
-Took Caroline to the dentist after I almost forgot she had an appointment
-Started hanging Christmas lights and didn’t fall off the ladder
-Cooked pork chops for dinner
-Sold white couch on local Facebook trading site

Please note that of all the things on that list, I am most proud of selling the couch. I was totally honest about its current condition but there are still good couch times to be had for someone who wants to recover it or get new slipcovers made. I’m just not that person. And Piper and Mabel are not those dogs.

And after all that, I realized that I have been meaning to post a little gift guide for those of you who may have a pre-teen in your life who’s in want of a Christmas gift. This list weighs heavily on the female side because it’s what I know, but there are a few things that would work for boys too. Or you can just follow Gulley’s advice and buy them Under Armour. The more neon, the better.

1. kindle fire

Caroline got one of these a few years ago and she has loved it. It became a game-changer in terms of how much reading she does. I’m still a fan of the paper book, but my child loves her Kindle.

2. memorex home karaoke system

I’m a sucker for a karaoke system and you can plug your own device into this to sing along to your favorite songs.

3. remote control helicopter

Caroline has two of these now and she still gets them out from time to time. I honestly don’t think these have an age limit because even P likes to fly them.

4. spirograph deluxe design set

I’d forgotten all about the spirograph, but I was a big fan back in 1979.

5. write dudes neon gel pens

These are on Caroline’s wish list. She wrote “pens that everyone has” and this is what she told me when I asked for clarification.

6. hunter rainboots

A great pair of rain boots makes a perfect gift and they’ll last forever.

7. clarisonic cleansing system

I have loved my Clarisonic ever since I bought it and it’s a great gift idea for a girl who’s just beginning to understand the importance of good skincare.

8. tabletop air hockey

Gulley’s son, Will, wished for this and I think it’s a brilliant idea. They also have tabletop foosball and ping pong.

9. ulta glam and glow blockbuster kit

When I was in seventh grade I won a drawing in my Home Ec class and received a huge palette of Mary Kay eyeshadows. Otherwise known as the greatest day of my life. And the catalyst for me to learn that you don’t need to always match your eyeshadow to your outfit.

This reminds me of that Mary Kay set. Perfect for girls who like to play with makeup.

10. electronic catchphrase

Gulley and I saw this while we were out shopping and agreed it looked like fun. Great game for the family when you’re sitting around drinking hot chocolate on Christmas morning.

Feel free to leave more suggestions in the comments. I have a feeling a lot of us are trying to come up with some good ideas.

Um.

So I’m exhausted.

Because Gulley and I shopped like it was our job this past weekend and made this happen.

I’ll be back tomorrow to tell you all about it.

And before you’re too impressed, I need you to know I still have dead mums on my front porch.

I have, however, kicked the decaying pumpkins into the flower beds and declared them to be compost.

I’m not really sure how it’s already December. In some ways I feel like Caroline just started school about two weeks ago. But now it’s December and I’m sitting here typing this in the glow of the lights from the Christmas tree and it’s a crisp, cool 78 degrees outside with 120% humidity.

However, I’m really excited because this weekend is my annual Christmas shopping weekend with Gulley. It’s one of my favorite weekends of the whole year because what is better than an entire weekend dedicated to shopping and eating out with your best friend?

Nothing.

That’s the answer. Nothing.

Here are some cute things I found this week that might make great Christmas gifts for someone you love. Or for yourself. Personally, I have my eye on the Boden raincoat. I can only hope that P is paying attention.

1. east bay tunic sweater

When I was picking up Caroline from school the other day I saw this darling girl wearing leggings, a long sweater and cowboy boots. Yes, I realize she’s probably a seventh grader, but I thought it was so cute. And so now I’m on a quest for a long sweater.

This also comes in burgundy if you prefer a real color.

2. boden rainy day mac

I have wanted one of these Boden raincoats for a long time and they are currently on sale at various price points in different patterns. This is at the top of my Christmas list, especially because it’s been rainier than usual so far this year and every time it rains I’m reminded I don’t have a rain coat.

That’s what happens when you live in an area that’s been suffering from a drought for five years.

3. free people complex cable knit pullover

I love this sweater too. It also comes in deep red and light blue and is on sale at Nordstrom.

4. beaded chevron dress

Anthropologie is offering an extra 30% off sale items with the code EXTRAMERRY at checkout. This dress wouldn’t look good on me, but I love it anyway and have faith that it’s perfect for somebody out there.

5. ouillins jacquard vest

This is another Anthro sale item so it’s an additional 30% off. I absolutely love it and it also comes in a gray color if that’s more your style.

6. vergennes chevron cardigan

Yep. Another Anthro sale item for $79.95 plus an extra 30% off. Love the color.

7. drape haven cardigan

This looks like the perfect thing to throw on with jeans or leggings and a pair of boots. Comfortable, cozy and so cute.

8. j.crew lovebirds baseball tee

I love a good baseball tee and I’m a little bit in love with these birds.

9. michael kors bracelet watch

I have loved this watch for a long time and it’s on sale right now at Nordstrom along with a bunch of other Michael Kors watches. Perfect Christmas gifts for someone who may need to know what time it is.

10. j.crew flannel pj pants

These flannel pj pants come in a ton of different colors and patterns and are on sale for $24.50. I’m a big fan of new jammies for Christmas Eve. Actually, I’m a fan of new jammies anytime.

11. verses flowing top

I know I usually only feature ten things, but I saw this top at Modcloth and think it’s so pretty that I couldn’t resist showing it. Love the gray and the lace.

12. past and pleasantries top

Same with this. Such a cute top and perfect to dress up or down for the holidays.

That’s it for today.

Have a great Friday.

On Thursday morning Sophie and I recorded a new podcast. She always edits them for us because, well, she knows how and I don’t. And she texted me tonight to tell me she had it ready to go but had to edit out some parts where the connection was bad, but we still had over fifty minutes of discussion anyway.

I texted back, “That’s a whole lot of nothing.”

And she responded, “SERIOUSLY.”

So with that warning I present to you our latest podcast.

You can click here to listen. Or here. You can even listen right here.

Or, as always, you can subscribe on iTunes.